


Tell him

by Willidan



Category: Firefly, Serenity (2005)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-13
Updated: 2012-12-13
Packaged: 2017-11-21 01:27:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/591885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willidan/pseuds/Willidan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mal is suspicious of the attention that Simon is giving Zoe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tell him

**Author's Note:**

> Follows _Into Nowhere We Go_ but can be read alone. Takes place after TBM (obviously).

“You need to tell him.”

Zoe nods but says nothing. 

For all that Zoe has always been strong and unapproachable, Simon can’t keep himself from reaching out to her, laying a hand on her shoulder and pulling her into his chest when it isn’t shrugged off right away. 

“Sooner rather than later, Zoe.”

Zoe nods again and Simon feels her release a shuddering breath against his neck.

“Wondered what was takin’ so long for a physical.”

Simon hugs Zoe a heartbeat longer before she pushes away from him and turns to face Mal. Simon doesn’t shrink from the anger rising in Mal’s eyes, but he can still feel Zoe trembling.

“Glad you’re here, Captain. Care to come in?” Zoe says softly, not a trace of hesitation in her voice.

Mal frowns but enters the Infirmary and closes the door behind him. Simon steps away and busies himself with straightening the Infirmary and putting things away.

“Something you two need to tell me?”

Simon’s spine stiffens at the question, but he doesn’t turn to face them and waits for Zoe to continue.

“Something I need to tell you, Captain.”

Silence falls in the Infirmary until Mal speaks again.

“Best you better tell me then.”

Simon finally turns and watches the scene unfold.

Zoe clasps her hands behind her back and only Simon can see how she grips her fingers tightly as she addresses Mal. “Hasn’t been a secret that I haven’t felt 100 percent for a while now. Wouldn’t have done anything but ignored it if the doctor hadn’t cornered me.” She takes a deep breath. “Turns out there’s a good reason I’ve been sick the past few weeks.”

Mal waits quietly before arching a brow and asking, “You wanna tell me what that reason is?”

Zoe stares at Mal helplessly until Simon steps forward and touches her arm. He can see Mal’s eyes flare with anger at the simple touch, but ignores it because Zoe needs his support more than Mal needs his reassurance.

Zoe nods. “Turns out I’m pregnant.”

Silence falls again and Simon can see Mal struggle to maintain his poise at the announcement. He finally clears his throat. “Well now. That is news.” He waits several heartbeats before continuing. “You’re stayin’ here, right? On _Serenity_? Know that space ain’t exactly the safest place to raise a child, ‘specially with the jobs we get, but you know everybody on this boat will make sure ain’t nothin’ ever goin’ to hurt that child.”

Simon feels heat rise up in him at the calm acceptance that Mal gives Zoe and promises Mal with the heated look he turns on him to show him how much he appreciates the gesture when they’re alone later. Mal catches the look and pauses to give Simon a brief smile before reaching out to catch Zoe’s shoulder with a gentle hand.

“Ain’t gonna make you stay here if you want to leave, but you gotta know how much we’d be lost without you here.”

Zoe nods and catches herself before she sways into Mal’s chest. There is more strength to her voice when she answers. “Wasn’t plannin’ on going anywhere.”

Mal nodded once, short, decisive. “Good.”

Zoe returns the nod and turns to Simon. “Thank you, Doctor.”

Simon smiles. “I’ll pick up the vitamins at the next port we come to. And I’ll set up a regular prenatal exam schedule with you.”

“Thank you, Simon,” Zoe answers softly and brushes past Mal and disappears into the cargo bay.

“Ain’t gonna be easy for her,” Mal says after several minutes.

“No, it won’t,” Simon replies. “But it’ll be good for her. Good for everyone, in the end. We’ve lost too much.”

Mal steps forward, not hesitating to invade Simon’s space, but he doesn’t touch him. “That we have. When is she gonna have to sit things out?”

“She’ll be able to do most of her normal duties on board until she gives birth. Some of her more dangerous duties should be curtailed now. She’ll probably balk at being taken off jobs, but she’ll understand. After she’ll need a few weeks to recover.” Simon smiled. “We’ll all need to adjust after the baby is born, but I think we’ll be fine.”

“Child won’t have any lack of babysitters, I reckon.”

“No, she won’t.”

Mal huffed a soft laugh. “Girl then?”

“Yes,” Simon answered ruefully. “But don’t tell Zoe. She doesn’t want to know.” They grin like idiots at one another for a few minutes before Simon says, “you were jealous.”

Mal takes a step back. “Don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.”

Simon chuckles softly and takes a step toward Mal. “Yes, you do. When you walked in when Zoe and I were embracing. You were jealous.”

Mal shook his head. “Some of the notions you get --”

Simon reached out and pulled Mal close, curling his arms around Mal’s back and grabbing his ass. “You were. Admit it.”

Mal grabbed at him in return. “Ain’t gonna admit to somethin’ that ain’t true.”

Simon grinned. “That’s too bad. If you had just admitted it I was going to reward you for how calmly you took Zoe’s news.”

Mal sighed dramatically and shook his head. “Reckon I’ll just have to suffer, seein’ as how I wasn’t jealous.”

Simon laughs and pats Mal’s ass once before stepping out of his arms. “It is unfortunate. But I do have things to do here. I’ll need to compile a list of items we’ll need for Zoe and the baby. It’ll take a while to find everything we need, so it’ll be best to get started now.”

Mal suddenly looks weary and is rubbing his head forehead with one hand. “Gonna have to make a lot of changes on my boat, aren’t we?”

Simon nods but smiles. “It’ll be worth it.”

Mal smiles and looks toward the cargo bay. “Reckon it will at that.” He slaps Simons ass, ignores Simon’s squawk of outrage and goes to look for Zoe.


End file.
